Wild Encounters

Wild Encounters are a way to meet personally with amazing animals, and learn about our extraordinary work right from our keepers. No matter your encounter or cart tour preference, we have the perfect program to make it a day you’ll never forget. It’s your chance to meet giraffes, cheetahs, penguins, or your choice of many other animals - including some you may have seen on Animal Planet’s THE ZOO!

Chat with the keepers and get answers to your most challenging questions
Meet some of the stars of Animal Planet’s THE ZOO
Get close to amazing animals
Support the Bronx Zoo while connecting with wildlife like never before

No two Wild Encounters are ever the same - you never know what surprise guests might show up!

Important

Review program policies before booking.
For the health and safety of our animals, some Wild Encounters programs may still require masks. Masks are always required for Cheetah Connection, regardless of vaccination status.
Please note that Encounter tickets are for Wild Encounter programs only; guests must have timed ticket reservations for zoo entry. PRIVATE encounters are for ONE group of a family/party. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS are mixed participation with per-person tickets.

Availability is limited – so be sure to reserve your Wild Encounter right away.

View Calendar

Available Encounters

30 min, Ages 3+

Boo Connection

$59.95

Crawl in, find a seat, and get ready to meet a spooky crew of animals.

30 min, Ages 5+

Dinosaurs of Today

$59.95

Get up close with modern-day dinosaurs (birds) and animals that remind us of the prehistoric past (Per Person Ticket).

45 min, Ages 12+

Cheetah Connection

$79.95

Visit with ambassador cheetah for once-in-a-lifetime experience (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, Ages 6+

Inca Tern Feeding

$29.95

Get hands-on and help keepers with a fish toss to Inca terns. (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, Ages 10+

Private Rhino Connection

$375.00

Come join us and meet our thick-skinned friends. (1 Group Ticket: Up to 6 guests in family group)

30 min, Ages 3+

Sloth Connection

$69.95

Slow down and get up close with one of our perennial favorites among visitors. (Per Person Ticket)

45 min, Ages 5+

Fan Favorites: Surprise Encounter!

$79.95

A one-of-a-kind program, featuring many popular animal ambassadors our guests love to meet! (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, All ages

Private Giraffe Connection

$375.00

Encounter the zoo’s tallest residents. (1 Group Ticket: Up to 6 guests in family group)

30 min, Ages 5+

Penguin Connection

$69.95

Waddle this way to meet some of our favorite birds. (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, Ages 6+

Fennec Connection

$69.95

Small foxes, big ears, one memorable experience. (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, Ages 3+

Keeper’s Choice

$69.95

Meet three amazing ambassador animals! Who will the keeper choose? (Per Person Ticket)

30 min, All Ages

My First Connection

$59.95

Bring your young animal lovers to meet some furry, feathery and scaly friends. (Per PAIR Ticket: 1 adult + 1 child)

60 min, All Ages

Private Cart Tour

$175.00

Travel the zoo in style with our knowledgeable Wild Encounter Host. (1 Group Ticket: Up to 6 guests in family group)

30 min, Ages 5+

Camel Connection

$39.95

Spend quality time with our keepers and camels.

30 min, Ages 3+

Reptile Connection

$69.95

Our Reptile Ambassadors get the spotlight during this special up-close experience.

30 min, Ages 5+

Bird Connection

$69.95

If your favorite animals are feathered, this is the Wild Encounter for you and your flock.

“

We had an amazing time. I'm not exaggerating when I say the fennec foxes were 2 of the cutest things I've ever seen. And their caretakers, as well as our tour guide, were so knowledgeable and fun. It was an awesome experience, and I hope we can do something like it again in the near future."

Meghan

MEMBER DISCOUNT AVAILABLE

Purchase Wild Encounters through the Member Portal to receive a 10% discount. Must present valid Membership card at program check-in.

Orders must be purchased through the Member Portal to receive the discounted price. Not applicable towards prior purchases.

RULES AND POLICIES

THIS TICKET IS FOR THE PROGRAM ONLY AND DOES NOT SERVE AS ADMISSION INTO THE ZOO. Must have a timed ticket reservation for one-day ticket or Member ticket reservation in order to enter the Bronx Zoo. Timed ticket reservations must be done online in advance.
CHECK-IN FOR ALL ON-SITE WILD ENCOUNTER PROGRAMS IS INSIDE THE ZOO CENTER BUILDING (10-15 minutes prior to program start time). We recommend arriving to the zoo via Southern Boulevard Gate (the closest entrance to Zoo Center). Please be sure to plan more than enough time for travel, as programs always start on time and we are unable to accommodate late arrivals. Guests who do not arrive to check-in by the program start time forfeit their reservation and there is no refund or rescheduling for late arrivals.
RAIN OR SHINE! Programs run in all weather. We recommend comfortable clothing and shoes for walking. 5-10 min walk from Check-In to classroom location.
Animal experiences can be unpredictable. While we plan to join you with the species noted for your reservation, please know that unforeseen circumstances may happen and changes may be made at the keeper’s discretion. For at-exhibit programs, it is up to the animals to choose to participate and we cannot guarantee the duration of time the animals will spend engaging with us.
PRIVATE SESSIONS FOR MORE THAN 6 ARE AVAILABLE: Private encounters can be adjusted to accommodate more than 6 guests in the same family/party. Call us for arrangements and add-on pricing.(vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021)
AGE RESTRICTIONS AND CHAPERONE POLICIES MUST BE FOLLOWED. Check your specific program for details. Adult (18+) supervision for any participant 17 and under is required. If not otherwise stated, the chaperone ratio for children under 14 is no more than 4 children to 1 adult. Due to limited capacity, tickets are final sale and errors based on age requirements will not be refunded. Programs are always limited to paid participants only. OTHER FAMILY/FRIENDS/CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND.
CART TOURS DO INCLUDE PLENTY OF WALKING. Many exhibit areas and views are not reachable by vehicle. Carts provide the best travel between exhibits but there will be frequent stops and all programs require guests to walk short distances throughout the tour experience.
CAMERAS: no tripods; only handheld devices are welcome. Flashes are not permitted to be used in some exhibits. For CHEETAH CONNECTION, all camera shutter sounds must be silent and no long lenses. On all other programs we can typically permit photo/video; however, animals can be sensitive to unfamiliar objects/sounds/movements and we require all guest to abide by instructions from zoo staff if told to stop filming or put away your devices. Thank you for your cooperation when you are asked to remove items or stop certain actions during a program.
PERSONAL ITEMS: Only bring what you will carry, as we do not have space for storage and the cart will be left unattended at times when the tour is inside exhibit areas.
STROLLERS are not able to be loaded onto the tour cart and there are stroller restrictions at some exhibits. If bringing a personal stroller, we can store that at the Check In area during your tour.
MASK POLICY: At this time, there are no programs requiring masks to be worn. For the health and safety of our animals, WCS reserves the right to implement mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status, for indoor programs at the time of the session. If this is implemented, staff will have masks available for guests. In addition, guests and staff may choose to wear masks for a variety of reasons, so please be kind and considerate of others.
CHANGE/CANCELLATION: On-site program reservations are non-refundable. Reservations may be changed up to 5 days before the program and will be subject to a $15 Administrative Change Fee. Less than 5 days, changes are not permitted. (Contact us at vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021)
ACCESSIBILITY: Guests must contact us in advance if someone in your reservation needs assistance or accommodations for accessibility, so we can help provide appropriate support and the best Wild Encounter experience. This includes, but is not limited to, guests who may need/use wheelchair or mobility support, assistive listening support, or have sensory sensitivities. (vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021).